Is Mantolives aware of this dastardly deed by Paki Police?

Is Mantolives aware of this dastardly deed by Paki Police?
June 20, 2006 Tuesday Jumadi-ul-Awwal 23, 1427


THE imposition of 15 per cent GST on computer hardware as announced in the budget speech will increase the prices of IT equipment in the country by 15 to 20 per cent. This will gravely impact the oft-repeated and much-trumpeted government policy of fostering information technology in the country.

This measure has come at a time when the IT industry is at a nascent stage and gearing up for a take-off in the booming international IT market. At the same time, huge investments have taken place and more are being planned by industries nationwide, particularly the banking, telecommunications and manufacturing concerns, so that they remain on the competitive edge at a time when international and national trading is being conducted online.

Software export will also suffer because of this measure. It is worth mentioning that Pakistan is earning a revenue of only $400 million or so from software export, while India has become a global giant with figures of around $30 billion per annum.

The measure is surprising as nearly 50 per cent of the consumption of IT equipment is by the government itself. By imposing a consumption tax in the shape of GST (which means the tax is paid by the end-user), the purpose of enhancing revenue to the government is defeated, as it will be taken out of one purse of the government and put into another kitty.

The new tax will impact the local assemblers of PCs who assemble a PC by using around 30-50 components. To track each component down for the purpose of GST would be tremendously tedious, and the administrative cost of doing so will ultimately be passed on to the consumer who are mostly home users, students and small companies. These people cannot afford any further price increases as they are already burdened with rising inflation.

Therefore, the proposed 15 per cent GST on computer hardware is basically a negative tax which is detrimental to the future growth of IT and the development of quality human resources within the country.

It is hoped that by the time the federal budget is finally passed the authorities will have had second thoughts and withdrawn this ill-advised measure.

AZIZ AHMED
Karachi








Environmental degradation



THIS has reference to three letters (June 1) ‘Leave Clifton Alone’, ‘Islamabad the beautiful’ and ‘Looming massacre in Lahore’. All three letters highlight not the government’s ignorance or inaction towards environmental issues but its deliberate actions to mar whatever is left of nature.

Over the years deforestation has led to pollution of rivers and lakes, lowering of water table, less rainfall, increase in average temperatures, urbanisation, increase in rural poverty and unemployment and substantial degradation in the quality of life. Development stints like the new Murree project and the proposed Margalla tunnel have the effect of imposing indirect taxes on air and water in the long run.

All this implies that only those with a certain level of income can enjoy nature in its true form. And all this is happening right now. Those who can afford it, drink mineral water, buy tankers, sleep and work in airconditioners, have generators for uninterrupted power supply, enjoy greener neighbourhoods and creek villas and go abroad or to northern areas for a change.

On the other hand, the masses are condemned to congested slums, work in miserable conditions, are exposed to air and noise pollution of traffic, deprived of basic recreational facilities and end up in pathetic government hospitals with gastroenteritis due to sewage-mixed water.

Various dam projects and desalination plants are only treating the symptoms and not the cause. All these issues need urgent and viable strategies.

TAHIR MAQBUL ZUBERI
Karachi








‘Shining Pakistan’



I AM surprised that people in Pakistan are not willing to believe it, but officials in the Malaysian government are acknowledging Pakistan’s extraordinary growth. The World Bank has counted Pakistan among the “10 booming economies of world”. Newsweek counts “Pakistan among five fastest growing economies of Asia”. Weekly Times Magazine calls Pakistan ‘shining Pakistan’.

Moody’s International has upgraded Pakistan’s rating two places in one go (that rarely happens, and is the first time for Pakistan). General Electric (GE) of the US, one of the biggest organisations in the world, has announced a big investment in Pakistan; BASL of Germany has announced it will enter into Pakistan’s economy in a big way. Deutch Bank has announced it will make one of its largest investments in the region and expand its network here. Daimer-Chrysler plans to invest $5.8 billion at Sheikhpura for the manufacturing of trucks and cars for local consumption as well as for export to the Middle East. Prime Transport Ltd of the UK is also spending £850 million for a taxi manufacturing plant in Lahore.

The vice president of the UAE (ruler of Dubai) has signed an MoU to invest $100 billion in Pakistan in the next 10 years. China has confirmed an investment of $20 billion over the next five years. The list is long but people in Pakistan are still pessimist (or biased) and don’t give credit to the present government. It is easy to compare these developments with what Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto did.

IJAZ TABASSUM
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia








PIA flights to New York



APROPOS of the letter ‘PIA flights to New York’ (June 11), the airline would like to clarify that the yields on Houston flight are low and the requirement for additional seats during the season is normally in one direction only. This makes operation of additional flights uneconomical for PIA. For this reason PIA is not in a position to start an extra flight to meet short-term requirements in one direction.

Prior to the implementation of the summer 2006 schedule, PIA was operating four flights to New York with one flight direct from Karachi. The summer 2006 schedule (effective March) was planned with five flights to be operated by B-777LR aircraft. One of these flights would have operated directly from Karachi to New York with no stopover.

However, due to restrictions imposed by US security passengers from Karachi could not benefit from the convenience of a non-stop flight. PIA faced difficulty in re- scheduling flights due to aircraft and crew constraints resulting in re-routing of Karachi-Manchester-New York flight via Islamabad. But from June 21 a flight will operate from Karachi to New York once again with only one stop at Manchester.

PIA is making all efforts to provide its customers with convenience through better schedules and comfort through the best possible service in the state of art latest technology airplanes at prices that are very competitive.

CAPT HASSAN JAFFERY

General manager, Public Affairs & Communication, PIA
Karachi








Quaid’s great grandson



THIS is with reference to the news item “Assassins of Quaid’s great grandson convicted” (June 17). By definition, a great grandson is the son of a grandson. Mr Jinnah had only one child (Dina Wadia) whose son (Neville Wadia) is living in India. Mr Wadia’s son would, therefore, be the Quaid’s great grandson. Consequently, Mr Jinnah’s great grandson would have the surname Wadia, and not Jinnah. The late Sikander Jinnah was, therefore, not the great grandson of the Quaid.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi


(II)


I WAS shocked to read about the murder of the Quaid’s great grandson in January 1998. It was neither highwaymen nor terrorists who committed the crime rather the brave enforcers of the law of the land, namely the police. Had it been the former, they might have spared Mr Jinnah’s life out of respect for his great grandfather, but not the police. What an ungrateful nation we are for condoning the cold-blooded murder of the Quaid’s great grandson.

The killer cops have been let off the hook with a five-year prison sentence and some money as Diyaat. Also, there is no mention of their removal from government service. Had a kidnapper who kills his victim for failing to pay ransom been caught, he would have been hanged or sentenced to life, but not so the policemen who kill their victim for failing to pay bribe for his release.

Calling these crimes Qatl-i-Khata amounts to encouraging crimes committed by the police.

IQTADAR A. SHAH
Rawalpindi

From Letters to the Editor, Courtesy, Dawn June 20, 2006